Condensed Consolidated Statement of Shareholders' Equity (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Common Stock [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Total Compuware Shareholders' Equity [Member]	Non-controlling Interest [Member]	Total
BALANCE at Mar. 31, 2013	$ 2,132	$ 713,580	$ 301,298	$ (18,784)	$ 998,226	$ 0	$ 998,226
BALANCE (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2013	213,218,048
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)			26,307		26,307	(1,154)	25,153
Foreign currency translation, net of tax				11,245	11,245		11,245
Cash dividends declared (in shares)	8,949
Cash dividends declared		796	(54,425)		(53,629)		(53,629)
Impact of equity transactions of non-controlling interest		44,059			44,059	22,263	66,322
Issuance of common stock	1	1,301			1,302		1,302
Issuance of common stock (in shares)	124,096
Repurchase of common stock	(5)	(1,792)	(4,243)		(6,040)		(6,040)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)	(300,000)
Exercise/release of employee stock awards and related tax benefit (Note 6)	29	16,391			16,420		16,420
Exercise/release of employee stock awards and related tax benefit (Note 6) (in shares)	2,656,127
Stock awards compensation		25,312			25,312		25,312
BALANCE at Sep. 30, 2013	2,157	799,647	268,937	(7,539)	1,063,202	21,109	1,084,311
BALANCE (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2013	215,707,220
BALANCE at Mar. 31, 2014	2,193	828,264	257,236	(6,915)	1,080,778	20,256	1,101,034
BALANCE (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2014	219,340,085
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)			9,203		9,203	(2,182)	7,021
Foreign currency translation, net of tax				(14,720)	(14,720)	6	(14,714)
Cash dividends declared		242	(27,716)		(27,474)		(27,474)
Impact of equity transactions of non-controlling interest		(4,166)			(4,166)	4,166	0
Issuance of common stock	1	756			757		757
Issuance of common stock (in shares)	82,739
Repurchase of common stock		(526)	(849)		(1,375)	(5,585)	(6,960)
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)	0
Exercise/release of employee stock awards and related tax benefit (Note 6)	14	7,325			7,339		7,339
Exercise/release of employee stock awards and related tax benefit (Note 6) (in shares)	1,394,217
Stock awards compensation		15,277			15,277		15,277
BALANCE at Sep. 30, 2014	$ 2,208	$ 847,172	$ 237,874	$ (21,635)	$ 1,065,619	$ 16,661	$ 1,082,280
BALANCE (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2014	220,817,041